I’ve had a busy – and summery – summer. Lots of adventures, in what I thought of as a “normal” summer. I’m flashing back to times when I was a girl, standing in front of my class, presenting “How I Spent My Summer Vacation.”
It was always sort of a showdown – we’d been to Niagara Falls (pretty cool). A classmate went to Mexico, (WAY cooler) and a third thinks she has it made, she went to London. Snooze. No one in fourth grade, 1970’s America cares. But, Mexico, right? Isn’t that a different country?
Anyway, I have a travelogue below, if you’re interested in my summery pursuits. What strikes me, though is despite dashing here and there, I wrote.
I wrote because I write with other people 4-6 hours a week. So, despite how busy or other-focused I am on Tuesday at 9am, I write with a group of dedicated writers. And again on Thursdays… and Saturdays, and therefore, guess what else I did on my summer vacation?
I finished my first full draft of the novel I’ve been writing for years – called, Crushing Debt.
Oops, I may have buried the lead.
Yes, I completed a Shitty First Draft, the Vomit Draft. The Sloppy Copy. Done. I like to think of it as an impish first draft, ugly but alive. Something, not quite anything, and yet it is everything.
I’m relieved and happy. It will need a very serious rewrite – and that’s okay. I’ll leave it alone for at least a month. And what about those writing hours?
Guess what, I already started the rewrite on my non-fiction book entitled Write Without the Fight.
What, am I some kind of super writer? Is this discipline of steel? Yes and no. I write 4-6 hours a week with other people, so things progress. Writing happens. Things get done. If you want to write with our group 4-6 hours per week, email me, and we’ll set you up. Seriously. If you want to write, you have to write. And if you want to write well, you want it to be something you “get” to do, with writing pals, 4 hours per week.
We had a window, where it seemed everything was going to open back up, we had to get used to leaving our masks in the car and walk around “barefaced.”
Now, we’re back to uncertainty, and requiring effort to tamp down despair. I wonder how you all are doing in this still-pandemic and renewed pandemic times?
Now on to, How I Spent My Summer Vacation, by Julia Roberts
We visited our moms – Momapalooza
For the first time since the pandemic began, we masked up and flew east. We visited Columbus and saw my MIL, then drove to Buffalo and saw my mom. Both are doing well and it was nice to see siblings and niecy-nephews in both visits.
In Cleveland, we got to see and feel real rain for the first time in years. It was actually thrilling.
There was a little emotional whiplash traveling from one household to the other. My MIL is very neat, tidy and throws things out, even when you were intending to eat them. They might have smelled, or cluttered up the counter, but when you weren’t looking, out they went.
My mother, by contrast, lives in clutter. Nothing gets thrown out. It’s hard to sit, eat, or sleep in her house, as a visitor. She’s 91, and can’t keep ahead of the mess. When you try to help, she clings to things and stuff and cozy mess as she sees it.
We visited Niagara Falls and recharged our ions
In New York, we went back to Niagara Falls – but not on the Canadian side as we’re accustomed to doing. Still no border crossings. 🙁
I love Niagara Falls. Literally. I love standing there and looking for long periods of time. I love the Niagara Falls tchotchkes and mementos – especially retro souvenirs, bec I like to feel how long and well this natural wonder has served people.
Waterfalls have abundant negative ions that increase serotonin levels. It is an epic recharge, just to stand there. Ahhh….
In New York City, we stayed in a hotel.
In New York City, we stayed in a hotel, seems like the first time ever. We usually stay with friends, but COVID. It was a crazy place – Citizen M, near Times Square – where everything in the room is controlled by an Ipad. Curtains, lights, AC, TV everything. (You turned the shower on the normal way, thankfully.) Super modern and fun decor. There was a chair in the lobby I want. Literally, I would love to have in my living room. Guess the price.
$12,000. Not going to happen. I suggested to my husband we give it to each other for our anniversary. Then it’s only $6000 each! LOL.
We also loved Yayoi Kusama at the New York Botanical Garden. Why polka dots? Yayoi says it demonstrates how we are all just pinpoints of light in the vast universe. A very cheerful way to represent that point of view.
We caught every free Shakespeare in the Park we could, because we could! It felt like a normal summer, albeit, briefly.
Summery joys – too numerous to depict. And you would think this would mean I am not writing. But ha-ha, I am. Why? Bec I’m contracted to write with people 6 hours a week. You can have that commitment, too. Email me or message me in the FB Group, and I’ll get you set up.
Meanwhile, enjoy the waning days of summer, as kids head back to school, and our carefree days slip away – to make way for our serious Fall days, where we’ll once again, gird our loins and face down our challenges – climate, COVID, political and “other.” I hope you’re well, and ready to write this fall.